Shrink Wrap Film

Crawford Packaging works with industry leaders in shrink film manufacturing to deliver impactful shrink-wrapping solutions. We work to deliver shrink film solutions that increase film efficiency and productivity while helping to reduce shrink film waste and lower pack costs.

Crawford Packaging’s Shrink Wrap Solutions

We work with industry-leading suppliers to deliver the most efficient and cost-effective shrink wrap packaging solutions on the market.

Shrink It Right
How Shrink It Right Works

Most shrink wrap setups are able to get it right initially, but as time progresses very few are able to keep it right. This can be the result of a variety of causes including wrap setting changes, differences in film or equipment breakdowns. When these issues result in underperforming equipment, our Packaging Specialists can assist with an in-depth review and audit of your existing shrink film packaging solution. This audit identifies optimization areas that increase packaging speeds and improve shrink wrap standards. This is done through the improvement of the shrink wrapping process that reduce labour and waste while improving throughput and overall shrink wrap productivity. This can involve the addition of automated packaging processes, improved film use or the optimization of the shrink bag size.

Contact us today for a FREE packaging audit of your existing shrink wrap materials and processes.

Here is why you should be using Shrink wrap

What Are the Benefits of Shrink Wrap?

Shrink wrapping products is one of the most common forms of packaging on the market today. Shrink wrap packaging offers many benefits to products when used as either a primary or secondary packaging solution.

Shrink Wrap Protects Products

When a product is effectively wrapped with shrink wrap film, it benefits from the added protection and security of a completely sealed package. The protective film acts as a barrier, keeping out contaminants like dust and moisture. For products that are shipped or stored outdoors, speciality films are also available for increased UV protection to avoid discolouration or spoiling.

Anti-Theft Packaging

When used as a primary or secondary packaging method, shrink wrap film can increase the security of a wrapped product. Keep products together with effective bundling or prevent packages from being opened. The strong film does not loosen or slack with age, reaming taught and making it difficult to remove the contents without first removing the film itself. The increased security provided by shrink wrap makes it a popular method of bundling multiple products together for sale such as paint trays and rollers or stationary.

Increased Branding Space

Shrink wrapping products with high-quality polyethylene films increase product branding opportunities. This is commonly seen in packs of bottled water and pop. Registered shrinks films are available to ensure your shrink wrapped packaging delivers consistency with each product packaged.

Shrink Wrap Preserves Food and Extends Product Shelf Life

When you shrink wrap a package you not only protect it from theft and contamination, you can extend its life cycle beyond what would normally be seen. When used to wrap fresh produce shrink films can promote a healthy exchange of gasses and slow evaporation. This helps to keep the harmful gasses that are the cause spoilage while helping keep produce fresh. Shrink films can also contain UV protection, reducing the colour fade or damage caused by direct light.  

 

How Different Industries Use Shrink FilM

Industrial Shrink Wrap Films

Crawford Packaging offers shrink wrap film solutions for a variety of industrial packaging applications. Strong, heavy polyethylene films offer incredible containment strength for secondary packaging applications. These films offer a cost-effective solution that provides superior protection against the elements and can be branded for increased marketing opportunities.

Primary packaging shrink films are made from refined polypropylene, called polyolefins, for increased clarity and optics. These films are perfect for creating a consumer-facing package that looks great while maintaining protection. Crawford shrink films eliminate the risk of dangerous contaminants like dust and moisture.

Fresh Produce Shrink Films
Crawford Packaging’s line of GrowPack shrink films promote healthy oxygen transmission rates (OTR rates) and protect fresh produce from contaminants. These super thin films offer packers incredible clarity, eliminate wrinkles and unsightly shrink tails. Crawford’s premium GrowPack cucumber shrink films offer many advantages to growers and retailers. GrowPack Premium Cucumber Film is engineered to take the existing benefits provided by shrink wrap and enhance them to offer greater pack yields and equipment efficiencies. Utilizing high-quality resins, GrowPack cucumber film offers growers a thinner, clearer cucumber film that helps increase moisture retention, improving product shelf life while maintaining high shelf impact.
Craft Beer Shrink Film Solutions
Crawford Packaging works with brewers of all sizes, from large brew houses to local Craft Brewers and distilleries. We offer brewers effective shrink wrap film solutions for bundling and unitization. Our high strength shrink films for brewers are available in both clear and registered printing formats.
Shrink Films for Food Packaging
Crawford Packaging carries food grad shrink wrap film that is perfect for a variety of food processing and packaging applications. Our high-quality polyolefin films offer food processors incredible clarity and protection from outside contamination. Crawford’s food certified films are available in varying sizes and gauges, ensuring we have a solution for your packaging needs, from fresh baked goods to frozen pizzas.

What Is Shrink Wrap?

What is Shrink Wrap?

Shrink wrap is a plastic film that is used to form a bag around a product that shrinks when heat is applied. The shrinking process eliminates any air inside the bag and forms the film into a tight, protective wrap. Shrink films are made from a variety of plastic types and offer engineered solutions for a variety of industries. Shrink wrap is an effective packaging material when used for primary or secondary packaging, helping to protect products from contamination and damage. 

Types of Shrink Film

Shrink wrap films are made from a variety of plastic compositions and are engineered to precise specifications. The most commonly seen shrink wrap films on the market today are Polyethylene, Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene or BOPP and Polyolefin. Each type of film carries its own benefits and advantages when used to package its intended products.

Polyethylene

  • Lower clarity

  • Good for unitization (24-pack of waters), replacement of master corrugated shippers, larger industrial items

  • Very durable

  • Thicker, reactive film offering increased stretchability

  • Shrinks as cools rather than heats, requiring additional cooling space at the end of the tunnel.

Polyolefin

  • Premium quality shrink films

  • Great clarity, and appearance; great for consumer products where appearance is critical (toys, games, food, retail goods)

  • Great appearance and ability to shrink quickly and completely (shrinks when heated resulting in a package that is finished as soon as it comes out of the shrink tunnel)

  • Durable, versatile, low cost

How Shrink Wrap Works
The process of creating an effective shrink-wrapped package can be complicated and requires a complete understanding of the packaging process.
The Shrink Wrap Process

1 – A sheet of heat sensitive shrink film is folded over the product being wrapped

 

2 – A heating system seals a joint lengthwise along the pack and simultaneously trims off excess film

 

3 – A heated cutting blade seals the end of the package to complete the film bag

 

4 – Once closed the film is moved into the shrink tunnel

 

5 – The heat inside the Shrink Tunnel expands the air in the package while causing the film to tighten and constrict

 

6 – Ventilation holes allow the trapped air to escape while the film constricts around the product

 

Proper Shrink film ventilation is key to creating the perfect shrink-wrapped package. If the film is too ventilated, the air will escape too quickly and will not fully expand the film. Over-ventilation is one of the most common causes of wrinkles and unsightly “dog ears”.  Under-ventilation of film can result in air being trapped inside your package, creating unsightly bubbles.

Could automated packaging be your next addition? Contact us today and schedule a free packaging consultation with one of our highly trained and knowledgeable Packaging Specialists. Our Specialist will visit your packaging facility and work with you to identify areas that could be improved through the addition of automation.

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